June Mix Tape

How often does this happen: You check out the lineup of the city’s free outdoor concerts — SummerStage, Prospect Park’s Celebrate Brooklyn, JellyNYC’s Pool Parties, the Seaport Music Fest, Siren — and don’t recognize half the bands’ names. So for our latest mix we asked Matt Tyson of the fantastic, and fabulously revamped music site EAR FARM (check out the new look!) to curate a mix of bands, obscure and familiar, playing all these music series. Download the free, 100 percent legal mix here, or listen now to our Endless Summer muxtape. Then find out when the bands you like are playing, below.

1. “No More Long Years” by Matt & Kim – An alternative punk/dance duo from Brooklyn known for highly energetic performances; they’ll be appearing on July 13th at McCarren Park Pool with The Breeders and The Whip.

2. “+81” by Deerhoof – Unconventional, math-y, out of this world art-rock. They’re playing Prospect Park with Metropolis Ensemble on July 18th.

3. “Palmitos Park” by El Guincho – Self-described “space-age exotica” along the lines of Animal Collective and Os Mutantes. See him at the Seaport Music Festival on July 25th with Atlas Sound.

4. “Truth Is” by Brother Ali – MC from Minneapolis who sounds more like KRS-One and Rakim than he does his contemporary peers. Appearing with The Rub at the Seaport Music Fest on August 1st.

6. “Feedback In The Field” by Plants and Animals – Lush, ’70s AM rock gets a sprawling, epic treatment from this Montreal band. See them August 4th at Central Park SummerStage with The National and Yeasayer.

7. “Golden Love” by The Skatalites – Legendary music group from Jamaica that played a major part in popularising ska. Catch them at Central Park SummerStage on July 27th with Taj Mahal and Los Pinguos.

8. “Hairdo” by Tall Firs – A New York City-based underground electric folk rock band playing McCarren Pool on August 3rd with Black Lips and Deerhunter.

9. “House Clouds” (Demo) by Liars – Known for genre shifts between albums and mind-blowing live performances, Liars will be appearing at McCarren Pool with Fuck Buttons and Team Robespierre on July 20th.

10. “While You Were Sleeping” by Elvis Perkins – Folk-rock singer-songwriter playing Prospect Park with Cold War Kids and Sam Champion on June 27th.

11. “Can’t Say No” by The Helio Sequence – This electro-tinged rock band from Portland, Oregon will be appearing at Siren on July 19th in Coney Island.

12. “Compare” by Film School – Post-punk-inspired San Francisco dream pop band also playing Siren on July 19th.